Toms River Man Charged In Fatal Lakewood Hit-And-Run

TOMS RIVER, NJ — A Toms River man is in custody in the hit-and-run that killed a Lakewood teenager as he walked home from work on Friday night.

Alexander Politan, 31, was arrested Tuesday afternoon, a joint announcement from Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer and Lakewood Township Police Chief Gregory Meyer said.

Politan has been charged with causing the death of another while driving with a suspended license and knowingly leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident resulting in death, authorities said.

Authorities allege it was Politan driving a 2014 black Jeep Cherokee that hit Jesús López Grande, 15, and his father, Jesús López Ramirez, 37, as they walked near the shoulder of Oak Street south of Albert Avenue about 9:20 p.m. on Friday.

López Ramirez suffered an elbow injury, authorities said. His son, however, was found lying face down in the driveway of a home on Oak Street. López Grande suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.

The crash left vehicle debris at the scene and detectives determined the parts belonged to a black 2014 Jeep Cherokee, authorities said. Lakewood police, the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Fatal Accident Support Team and the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office then launched an extensive search.

On Sunday, a black Jeep Cherokee matching the description of the suspect vehicle was found in the driveway of a New Hampshire Avenue home in Toms River, and had damage to the passenger side, authorities said. No one was home and authorities obtained a search warrant to seize the Jeep Cherokee, authorities said.

Further investigation revealed Politan was driving the Jeep Cherokee when it hit López Grande and López Ramirez.

Politan was physically located and arrested Tuesday. He is being held at the Ocean County Jail pending a detention hearing, the prosecutor's office said.

"Although Mr. Politan is in custody, this remains an ongoing investigation," Billhimer said. "If anyone has any information concerning this investigation, I ask that you please call the Lakewood Police Department at 732-363-0200 or Detective Michael Proto of the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office at 732-929-2027."

Prosecutor Billhimer and Chief Meyer would like to thank the concerted efforts of the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Fatal Accident Support Team, Lakewood Township Police Department, Toms River Police Department and the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit in this investigation.

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